Are you tired of buying a $149. airfare, only to discover in the end that with baggage fees, seat fees, meal fees, change fees, etc., your actual cost is more like $500? Well, shout hallelujah because help is finally on the way!
Yesterday, the Department of Transportation announced a new set of passenger protections aimed at addressing travelers’ growing frustration over airline fees. Now airlines will be required to clearly disclose all fees up front in advertisements and on their Web sites.
Beginning this August, airlines will be mandated to prominently disclose all potential fees on their Web sites, including surcharges for baggage, meals, canceling or changing reservations and seat assignments. Although the DOT did not specify how these fees must be displayed during online fare searches or purchases, the government did single out baggage fees, which have become increasingly complicated.
Under the new rules, airlines and ticket agents will have to provide passengers with up-to-date information about baggage charges, both before and after a ticket purchase. Airlines must also include baggage fees in e-ticket confirmations sent to passengers. The government hopes this will alleviate passenger concerns that airline pricing has become increasingly and unfairly deceptive.
Other provisions announced will increase the compensation carriers must pay passengers who are involuntarily bumped from flights. The new compensation, which is now up to $800., will increase to as much as $1,300. for the longest delays. Airlines will also be required to refund checked baggage fees if a passenger’s luggage is lost, and will also have to promptly notify customers of delays over 30 minutes.
Several airlines are already balking at the new rules, hoping to turn the tables by saying the provisions are more unfair to them than the passengers. Spirit Airlines, which now charges fees even for carry on bags, says the government doesn’t require hotels to list taxes on their websites, so airlines should not have to either. But travel groups are already jumping at the news, saying the truth in disclosure will make traveling less complicated and much more enjoyable.
This is fabulous news for all of us flight attendants. By the time passengers get on the plane they take all their fee aggressions out on us. Maybe now they'll be a little bit nicer. 😛 Except now the airlines will just raise fares to compensate. Ugh! 🙁